Cartridge with resilient connecting means

Claim 1

In a ribbon cartridge, the combination comprising: a pair of spool holders for rotatably supporting a pair of spool means having a ribbon secured therebetween and wound upon at least one of said pair of spool means, said pair of spool holders each comprising an upwardly open container having a peripheral wall with at least a partial arcuate configuration and a ribbon opening formed therein for enabling the ribbon extending between said spool means to pass through the peripheral walls of said containers, a cover hingedly connected to a portion of each of said peripheral walls opposite said ribbon openings, and tab and slot means on said covers and walls for closing said containers, said covers having a central opening defining an axis for rotation of each of the pair of spool means, a plurality of resilient connectors extending in a horizontal plane between and joining in close proximity the arcuate portions of the peripheral walls of said pair of spool holders with the ribbon openings spaced circumferentially from said plurality of connectors and spaced apart from each other a distance substantially greater than the distance where the peripheral walls are connected by said plurality of connectors to form a gap to be spanned by the ribbon for enabling the ribbon to be drawn substantially tangential between said pair of spool holders with the axis of rotation of the pair of spool means being in a common plane, said plurality of connectors, said span of ribbon and said arcuate peripheral walls of said spool holders defining the boundaries of an area to allow access to a ribbon vibrator through which the span of ribbon is to be threaded, each of said plurality of connectors having an intermediate portion of reduced cross-section capable of flexure for enabling said pair of spool holders to be manipulatively pivoted and twisted relative to each other with the axis for rotation of the pair of spool means being moved from the common plane to facilitate threading of the ribbon in a ribbon vibrator, said plurality of connectors being rupturable at the intermediate portions of reduced cross-section after threading by moving said pair of spool holders from each other.